Amasy Johnson

Amasy or Amasa Johnson was born in 1841 in McDonough (?) County, Illinois.

Amasy left Illinois and came to Michigan, probably around the time the war broke out.

In any case, he stood 5’8” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion and was a 20-year-old farmer living in Ingham County when he enlisted in Company G on May 10, 1861. (Company G, formerly the “Williams’ Rifles,” was made up predominantly of men from the Lansing area.) He was possibly related to George Johnson and/or Norman Johnson, both of whom also enlisted in Company G.

He was reported sick with fever in early September of 1861, but soon returned to the Regiment and while on picket duty near Munson’s Hill, Virginia, was wounded in the right leg on September 26, 1861, resulting in the amputation of the limb. Frank Siverd, also of Company G described in detail what happened to Johnson.

About 9 a.m., Friday [September 26], Corporal Shattuck, [Abram] Shear and Amsey C. Johnson, ventured beyond the lines, and incautiously leaving cover and appearing in an open lot, they were sighted by a rebel rifleman and Johnson became his victim. He was shot with a minie ball, in the right leg, about half way between the knee and ankle. The ball struck the inner angle of the tibia, and completely shattered both bones. Several pieces of bone come entirely out and lay in his stocking. Shattuck and Shear carried him to our lines and a Surgeon was immediately sent for. Several successive messengers were dispatched for him, and after waiting until 4 p.m. and no Surgeon appearing, he was placed in an ambulance and sent to the hospital. This neglect of the Surgeon, and the subsequent harsh treatment of Johnson is inexcusable, and merits the severest censure -- indeed, the medical department of the Regiment is noted for want of energy in almost every particular. The surgeon sent Johnson to the Infirmary at Washington, where on Saturday his leg was amputated immediately below the knee -- he is doing well. He is universally loved in the company, and was ever prompt in the performance of duty -- never ‘shirking’ when health would permit him to work. This sad affair cast a gloom over the whole company, and many swore over him as he lay suffering extreme pain, and yet uncomplaining, that he should be a hundred fold avenged, and he will be.

Charles Brittain of Company H thought that Johnson “got too smart and ventured over the lines and got paid for his smartness.”

By late November Amasy had been transferred to a hospital in Washington, DC, and one of his comrades reported home that by early December he was a patient in E Street hospital in Washington, DC, suffering from an amputated leg. Johnson was discharged on account of his amputated limb, on January 25, 1862, at Camp Michigan, Virginia. Some weeks later, Frank Siverd observed that Johnson

has received an honorable discharge and is on his way to Michigan. He will carry with him through life a reminder of the sport we used to enjoy at the celebrated Munson Hill. He stops on his way to get an artificial leg, the funds for the purchase of which were contributed by the company. Each enlisted man gave one dollar, Lieutenant [Joseph] Mason ten dollars and twenty dollars were appropriated from the company fund, making a total of one hundred and one dollars. Some of your patriotic citizens who could not make it convenient to face the enemy in the field, could not give greater evidence of their patriotism than by offering to this young man the means to procure a couple of years tuition at one of your excellent educational institutions. He will disdain to be a beggar, and I understand his friends are in limited circumstances and he has not now the means of helping himself. He was an excellent soldier, always doing his duty manfully and without murmur. When he was wounded he lay nine hours without medical attendance, and though in extreme pain he bore it heroically and without complaint.

Amasy listed Okemos, Ingham County on his discharge papers and probably returned to Michigan.

In 1867 he applied for and received a pension (no. 9910).

Amasy was married.

His widow applied for a pension (no. 897044), but the certificate was never granted.